The European Commission may consider bringing back a visa obligation on Americans travelling to the EU following the introduction by the US early this month of a $14 tax on nationals of countries with visa exemptions.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom said she greatly regretted the creation of this tax, applicable as of September 8.

$10 from the tax are to be used to promote tourism in the United States and the remaining $4 to pay for the costs of the Electronic System Travel Authorisation, will be chargeable when validating the electronic travel permit. The payment may be made by credit card when validating the ESTA.

The Commission said it will now analyse the tax to decide whether the measure is comparable to a visa.

In 2008, the European Union accepted the American decision to create a travel authorisation, which was free of charge at the time, but had warned the US government against any measure which could constitute the disguised return of the visa.

“I have voiced my concerns over the creation of this tax on a number of occasions and I remain convinced that this obligation in the framework of the ESTA to visa-exempted travellers alone is incompatible with the commitment made by the United States to facilitate transatlantic mobility”, Ms Malmström stressed.

“This tax will represent an additional charge on EU citizens travelling to the US”, she lamented.

If the Commission finds that the tax is comparable to a visa, it may consider bringing back a visa obligation on Americans travelling to the Union.